New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 
465 
and the digestibility of the albuminoids determined by the pepsin 
method. The results were as follows: 
Fresh Water 
substance. free. 
Water 89.15 
Ash 85 7.80 
Albuminoids 6.08 56.00 
Crude fiber .76 7.05 
Nitrogen-free extract ' 2.27 21.83 
Fat (ether extract) .79 7 . 32 
Total nitrogen 8.96 
Albuminoids digested 84.50 
The total nitrogen found in the dry substance was about 2 . 5 times 
as great as the highest figures given by the German chemist, while 
the digestibility places it among the exceptionally rich nitrogenous 
foods. The specimens examined were not particularly good ones. 
I have not been able to secure either morels or boletus for examination, 
although not usually uncommon in the vicinity of Geneva. 
Puff-Ball. 
September 4 we found portions of a large puff-ball which had been 
broken but a short time, probably by parties who did not know or 
appreciate the value of the table delicacy they had so fully scattered. 
Considerable of the broken fragments were gathered together and 
taken for analysis. This specimen was in fine edible maturity, and we 
hoped to be able to find another fresh one. In our search Dr. Babcock 
found a fine large specimen of Lycoperdon giganteum which I have 
examined. The following measurements were taken, and are of interest, 
taken in connection with the analysis. 
Greatest diameter 12.5 inches. 
Height 7.5 " 
Horizontal circumference 37 . 25 " 
Vertical circumference 33 . 5 " 
Weight 2864 grams=6 . 35 lbs. 
The puff-ball was kept until the following morning before examina- 
tion, when it was found to have lost 5.93 per cent by weight. A slice 
passing through the center was taken for analysis. This contained 
92.18 per cent of water. 
59 
